FIG. 1 shows a scattered-light particle counter whose depicted components are contained, for example, in the scattered-light particle counter discussed in DE 10 2013 202 423 A1.
The scattered-light particle counter schematically depicted in FIG. 1 has a laser light source 10, a photodetector 12, and a measurement cell 14 through which an air stream 16 is drawn. A portion of measurement cell 14 is transilluminated by a laser beam 18 emitted from laser light source 10. If laser beam 18 strikes at least one particle 16a of air stream 16 inside the transilluminated portion of measurement cell 14, at least some photons of laser beam 18 are then scattered onto photodetector 12 as scattered output 20. (The non-scattered component of laser beam 18 strikes an absorber 22.) With the use of a conventional scattered-light particle counter of this kind it is said to be possible to ascertain, on the basis of scattered output 20 detected by way of photodetector 12, information regarding any particles 16a that may be present in air stream 16.